This invention generally relates to methods and apparatus applying durable, rigid and attractive surfacing sheets over structural substrates of more modest appearance. In particular, it is useful in the construction of laminates similar in appearance to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,133,106 to W. D. Cuppett, showing a veneer of quality surfacing material over a less expensive substrate.
Through the years, many methods and apparatus have been provided to manufacture this type of construction. With the introduction of extremely durable and attractive high pressure laminates of paper and phenolic and melamine resins, there has been a great need to provide for effective techniques and equipment to manufacture table tops, door panels, wall panels, cabinet doors, counter tops and like structures by laminating the thermoset sheet, generally known and marketed under the trademark "Formica," to less expensive but structural substrate materials. There is no great difficulty, and in fact, home handymen apply these surfacing sheets to plywood or other substrates to form counter-tops, kitchen cabinets and the like. However, the efficient and quick attachment of the surfacing sheet to the edges of the substrate has not been capable of easy solution. It is, of course, possible to first coat the face of the substrate with the surface sheet and then cut strips of laminate and attach them individually to the edges of the panel after which the excess is trimmed away. This requires separate steps and is much too inefficient to allow for large scale production of such items. Complicated and very expensive equipment has been provided to apply rolls of the surfacing sheet to the edges of panels but only the largest of standardized production lines can utilize such a device. This type of machinery merely carries out the same steps as the manual construction, but with highly complicated mechanical devices.
Typical methods of lamination for the surface and edges of such substrate have been disclosed in such patents as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,322,171 to R. R. Cornell, 3,625,269 to Leif A. Holan, 3,841,369 to E. N. Roche, 3,943,022 to K. J. Susnjara and 3,955,677 to D. S. Collingwood. Essentially all of these devices utilize the system of scoring the rigid surface sheet and breaking it toward the score.
A number of other apparatus have been disclosed for the construction of counter tops, cabinet doors and the like. These include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,890,919 to H. E. Hansen, 3,389,033 to M. E. Ullman, Jr., 3,392,074 to R. R. Barton, 3,616,076 to J. M. Gepkens and 3,733,975 to C. C. Terrasi. While these patents disclose methods of making this type of construction, they are provided for general background purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,982 to R. C. Grimsinger disclosed a method of bending printed electrical circuit panels in the direction of a circular score with outside reinforcement over the bend
U.S. Pat. No. 3,655,479 to G. P. Helmes, et al, discloses the method of gluing a strip of material against the side of a flat work piece like a table leaf.
There has been great need in the industry to provide apparatus and a method which will reduce the amount of personal hand labor but yet provide sufficient versatility to allow the piece by piece change from one type of laminate to another and from one size laminate to another. The equipment, apparatus and methods described hereinabove do not satisfy these general requirements.
It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus which reduces hand labor but eliminates the costly investment in an edge banding machine which only does edges in the color and size set in the machine.
It is the further object of this invention to cut down the waste of the surface sheet material.
It is the further object of this invention to use the identical surfacing sheet for the edges as is used in the top and to maintain the pattern over the edge in an exact match.
It is the further object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus which can be utilized in not only large but small laminating shops or factories in the production of these laminates.
It is the further object of this invention to provide an essentially maintenance free apparatus that is not complicated and may be easily used by relatively unskilled individuals.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method of producing phenolic or melamine high pressure laminated covered panels such as doors, drawer fronts and the like on old kitchen cabinets and like applications.
It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a fence construction which will allow the scoring of a surface sheet when the edge of the substrate panel has been precoated with contact adhesive.